The Game. Vanessa Fewings

my arm.

      “Let go, please.”

      His hand snapped away and his back straightened. “There’s a good reason it’s cordoned off.”

      “I’m sure there is.” I threw him a look of triumph and climbed over the rope and headed in, pulling the strap of my purse across my chest and easing it behind me.

      “Zara,” he called after me, “I was standing in front of the sign.”

      I turned and forced a smile. “Am I ruining your plan?”

      “You can’t be in here.”

      Yes, buddy, I’ve caught you in the act.

      Passing the first impressively large portrait on the left of a holographic tornado, I admired its realism. Though with merely digits and codes it wouldn’t be worth anything and was impossible to steal. Walking onward there was the footage of a hurricane at sea with rolling waves; a living, breathing masterpiece. Next, an image of the sun shining brightly and I shielded my eyes trying to figure out what would be so appealing in any of these.

      My heel caught in the ground and I peered down at the tiny holes in the floor tiles.

      Fuck.

      “Hurry!” Tobias was inside the rope and frantically gesturing. “This is the rain room!”

      I gawped toward the sound of rushing air.

      A deluge of rain—drenching me.

      When I opened my eyes, I blinked through the blur of water at a horror-stricken Tobias. The rain ceased, though a few droplets still hit my head as my hair squished to my scalp. My dress clung horribly. I’d become the exhibit.

      Careful with his footing on the slippery floor, Tobias hurried over and shrugged out of his jacket.

      Breathing through these waves of panic... Oh, no, I’d ruined this lovely dress. Wiping water out of my eyes, I looked up at him. “It’s Escada.”

      “I love it.” He gave a sympathetic smile. “Both versions.” He wrapped his jacket around my shoulders.

      I welcomed the warmth with a sigh. “I’m so embarrassed.”

      Tobias cupped my cheeks and leaned in and kissed me, his lips soft and comforting against mine, my mouth tingling, my need for him relighted as I almost forgot this was forbidden.

      He broke away and gave a reassuring tug on his jacket to bring it further around my shoulders. “You have a funny way of trying to save me, Zara Leighton.”

      I gave a shrug of surrender and shivered.

      “Oh, sweetheart.” He pulled me into a hug.

      “You’ll get wet.” I nudged him away.

      “Come on.”

      Trudging toward the exit behind him, I paused briefly to wring water out of my hem. I couldn’t bear the thought of anyone seeing me like this.

      How embarrassing.

      As I stepped out into the hallway the stark chill made me tremble.

      “Let’s get you out of here.” Tobias rubbed his hand up and down my back.

      Gabe walked briskly toward us in a flurry of concern. “What the hell happened to you?”

      My teeth chattered. “Bit of an accident.”

      “Why did you go in there?” He threw a glare at Tobias.

      “I’ve never known it to rain in a gallery.” I mean whose idea was this, anyway, and what purpose did it achieve? Where I came from it rained almost every bloody day.

      “It’s out of service.” Tobias gave a look of resignation. “The motion detectors are meant to pick up movement—”

      “Stop the water hitting you when they detect you’re beneath,” added Gabe. “I love this one. When it works.”

      “Is my makeup smudged?”

      “It’s a new look for you.” Gabe gave a shrug. “Party girl.”

      Oh, no.

      Running my fingertips beneath my eyes I tried to wipe away the mascara.

      Gabe reached out and took my purse off me and gave it a shake. “I’ll take you back to the hotel.”

      “Do you have leather seats?” Tobias inflected concern. “This water—” he pointed to me “—will ruin them. What do you drive?”

      Gabe frowned. “Audi R8.”

      Tobias cringed. “Leather seats?”

      “I’ll get a taxi,” I piped up.

      “No cab will accept you like this,” said Gabe.

      “It’s settled, then,” said Tobias. “I’m taking you.” He reached out and grabbed my purse from Gabe. “We’ll go out the back to avoid the press.”

      “Press?” It came out as a screech.

      “They’re out front ready to get their money shot.” Tobias waggled his eyebrows. “Looks like you’re it.”

      Gabe gave me a reassuring smile. “Zara, come to Brentwood and have lunch with me tomorrow. I have the afternoon off.”

      “I’d love that,” I said.

      He stepped forward and kissed my cheek. “Call me. Let me know you’re okay.”

      “I’ll be fine. I’m so sorry. Please stay and enjoy the evening.”

      Gabe lit up with an impressed smile. “We so appreciate this, Mr. Wilder.”

      My glare chastised him for being so enamored.

      That’s Wilder’s superpower, I silently warned Gabe, he sweeps you up and saves the day and then you go and fall for him.

      All very inconvenient.

      When we stepped out the back of the gallery I was at least reassured by the warm climate. One phone call on the way and Tobias had his posh-looking silver Ferrari waiting for us. He tipped the young valet, who was polite enough not to look my way before he hurried off.

      “What about your seat?” I peered into his beautiful car.

      “It’ll be fine.”

      “But you have leather seats?”

      “And?”

      “They’ll be ruined.”

      His grin widened.

      I fisted my hands and rested them on my hips. “You told Gabe—”

      A flash went off.

      “Get in!” Tobias snapped. “You drive.”

      Blinking through the fading glare of a flashbulb, I watched a young man on a skateboard zooming away along the pavement. Tobias leaped over the car door into the passenger seat. Dread spiked my veins as I scurried around to the driver’s side and pulled open the door, threw his jacket down to protect the seat and flung myself in.

      “Drive,” said Tobias. “We can catch him.”

      Staring at the control panel I panicked when I realized this was an automatic. “I’ve only driven an automatic once.”

      “Please hurry. He’s getting away.”

      “I don’t know how.”

      “For God’s sake, Zara. Grow a pair.”

      “You grow a pair.”

      He looked back at me, amused. “You’ve already had the pleasure of being acquainted with my—”

      “Tobias!”

      “Okay, then, Jade, you